Cup

ABSTRACT

A cup for a user to directly drink the beverage in the cup. The cup includes a main body and an isolating member disposed in the main body for dividing the interior of the cup into two isolated spaces. The isolating member serves to stop the beverage material, while permitting the beverage to flow through the isolating member from one isolated space to the other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to an improved cup, and moreparticularly to a cup in which tea or coffee powder can be placed. Thecup has an isolating member longitudinally disposed in the cup forisolating the soaked tea or coffee powder on one side of the cup. A usercan drink the beverage from the other side of the cup.

FIG. 7 shows a conventional cup 6 without any filtering or isolatingdevice. Tea 61 can be placed in the cup and soaked in water to make tea.When drinking the tea, the tea refuses 61 will be entrained by the teato cause inconvenience.

FIG. 8 shows a cup 7 equipped with an isolating device 71 forpartitioning the cup 7 into an upper layer 72 and a lower layer 73. Thetea refuses 74 are isolated from the upper layer 72 by a mesh-likeisolating plate 75. The isolating plate 75 is connected with a controlbar 76 which upward extends out of the opening of the cup.

FIG. 9 shows another type of cup 8 having an isolating device 81 made asa basket. The isolating device 81 is bridged over the opening 82 of thecup 8. The tea 83 is placed in the mesh-like basket 84.

The above two kinds of isolating devices are applicable to a glass orceramic or porcelain cup. However, such complicated isolating devicescan be hardly trans-used in a simple plastic cup or paper cup.

Besides, in the case that the tea is placed under the isolating plate75, it is necessary to first take out the isolating plate and then placethe tea on the bottom of the cup and then replace the isolating plateinto the cup. Moreover, the control bar 76 extends out of the opening ofthe cup so that when drinking the tea, a user's nose tends to touch thecontrol bar 76. Therefore, the tea is often first poured out from thecup into another cup and then drunk. This is quite inconvenient. In thecase that the tea is filled in the isolating basket 84, when drinkingthe tea, it is necessary to previously remove the isolating basket 84.Obviously, it is inconvenient to use the above two types of isolatingdevices for the cups.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide animproved cup in which an isolating member is disposed for dividing theinterior of the cup into two spaces. A material such as tea can beplaced in one space of the cup and soaked in water. The isolating memberserves to isolate the material from the other space, while permittingthe beverage to flow therethrough. Therefore, the material will not beentrained by the beverage so that it is ensured that a user can purelydrink the beverage.

According to the above object, the cup of the present invention includesa main body and an isolating member fixedly disposed in the main body.The isolating member includes a frame section and a mesh-like stopsection connected with the frame section. The frame section divides theinterior of the main body into two isolated spaces. The mesh-like stopsection serves to stop the beverage material, while permitting thebeverage to flow through the isolating member from one isolated space tothe other.

The present invention can be best understood through the followingdescription and accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows that the material refuses are isolated from the other spaceof the main body of the cup of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a conventional cup;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a conventional cup equipped with anisolating device; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of another type of conventional cup equippedwith an isolating device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 4. According to a first embodiment, the cupof the present invention includes a main body 1 and an isolating member11. In this embodiment, the main body is a disposable cup for a user todirectly drink the beverage in the cup. The isolating member 11 includesa frame section 111 and a mesh-like stop section 112. When the framesection 111 is molten and molded, the mesh-like stop section 112 isconnected with the frame section 111. The beverage can filter throughthe mesh-like stop section 112, while the material 12 is stopped by themesh-like stop section 112. In this embodiment, the material 12 is tea.The frame section 111 divides the main body 1 into a first isolatedspace 13 and a second isolated space 14. A certain portion of the framesection 111 is formed with a bending line 113, whereby the frame section111 can be easily bent about the bending line 113. Above the bindingline 113, the frame section 111 has a semicircular transverse section114. Below the binding line 113, the frame section 111 has twolongitudinal sections 115.

The main body 1 is a cylindrical body. Two opposite inner sides 15 ofthe main body 1 are respectively formed with two longitudinal rails 16each of which is formed of two parallel ribs 161. The ribs 161 areintegrally connected with the inner circumference 15 of the cup. The tworibs 161 define there between a gap 162 in which the frame section 111of the isolating member 11 can be inserted and located. In addition, anengaging section 17 is formed on the inner circumference 15 of the mainbody 1 and spaced from the top end of the main body 1 by a certaindistance. The engaging section 17 is formed of a shoulder section 171and a stop block 172 inward extending from the inner circumference 15 ofthe main body 1. After bent, the isolating member 11 can be fixedlyengaged in the engaging section 17. Accordingly, the isolating member 11divides the interior of the main body 11 into the first isolated space13 in which the tea is accommodated and the second isolated space 14which the tea cannot get in.

If the embodiment invention is designed for a disposable mode, thereforea worker in the factory can previously insert and locate thelongitudinal section 115 of the frame section 111 of the isolatingmember 11 in the longitudinal rails 16 of the main body 1 to divide theinterior of the main body 1 into two isolated spaces 13, 14. Then thetea 121 is placed into the first isolated space 13. Then the framesection 111 is easily bent about the bending line 113 of the framesection 111. Then the semicircular transverse section 114 of the framesection 111 is engaged in the engaging section 17 of the innercircumference 15 of the main body 1. Accordingly, the two spaces 13, 14are isolated. Certainly, the main body 1 can be sealed and packed with athermo-contractive plastic film.

In use, a user only needs to add water into the cup. When the tea issoaked in the water, a solution with higher concentration is produced inthe first isolated space 13. According to principle of diffusion, themolecules in the solution with higher concentration will diffuse to thesolution with lower concentration. Accordingly, the solution with higherconcentration will pass through the mesh-like stop section 112 to eventhe concentration of the solution in the two isolated spaces 13, 14. Thetea refuses are stopped by the mesh-like stop section 112 to remain inthe first isolated space 13 as shown in FIG. 4.

Moreover, the semicircular transverse section 114 of the isolatingmember 11 is fixed in the engaging section 17 of the main body 1. Theengaging section 17 is spaced from the top end of the main body 1 by acertain distance. Therefore, when the user drinks the tea, the user'snose will not touch the isolating member 11.

Besides, the isolating member 11 is vertically arranged so that thefirst and second isolated spaces 13, 14 are respectively positioned onleft and right sides of the main body 1. Accordingly, the tea flowingfrom the first isolated space 13 to the second isolated space 14 willnot concentrate in upper or lower portion of the main body 1. Therefore,the user can drink the tea with even concentration without shaking thecup.

According to the above arrangement, in condition of use of a disposablecup, a user can still enjoy the beverage with even concentration. Also,the refuses will not be entrained by the beverage so that the user canconveniently drink the beverage.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the secondembodiment, the inner circumference 21 of the main body 2 is formed witha projecting block 23 near bottom face 22 of the main body 2. Theisolating member 24 includes a frame section 241 and a mesh-like stopsection 242. The frame section 241 has an annular bottom end formed witha lug 243. When the frame section 241 is molten and molded, themesh-like stop section 242 is connected with the frame section 241. Thebeverage can filter through the mesh-like stop section 242, while thetea refuses 25 are stopped by the mesh-like stop section 242.

The lug 243 of the isolating member 24 is fixedly engaged with theprojecting block 23 of the inner circumference 21 of the main body 2,whereby the isolating member 24 divides the interior of the main body 2into a central first isolated space 26 and a second isolated space 27around the first isolated space 26. Therefore, the tea refuses 25 andthe beverage can be separated without mixing with each other. In thisembodiment, the isolating member 24 is also vertically arranged, wherebythe two isolated spaces 26, 27 are respectively positioned at the centerof the main body 2 and the circumference thereof. As in the firstembodiment, the tea can be made with even concentration.

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which theisolating member 41 substantially has a shape of a plane board. Theisolating member 41 includes an annular frame section 411 and amesh-like stop section 412 located in the frame section 411. The innercircumference 42 of the main body 4 is formed with two projectingsections 43 longitudinally opposite to each other. The two projectingsections 43 define there between a groove 44. The frame section 411 ofthe isolating member 41 can be fixedly engaged in the groove 44.Accordingly, the isolating member 41 transversely divides the interiorof the main body 4 into an upper half 45 and a lower half 46. The tea 47is placed in the lower half 46 and stopped by the isolating member 41.After soaked in the water, the tea beverage can flow through themesh-like stop section 412 into the upper half 46 to form an even teabeverage.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention,not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the aboveembodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention.

1. A cup for a user to directly drink a beverage in the cup, the cupcomprising an isolating member disposed in the cup for dividing aninterior of the cup into two isolated spaces, the isolating memberincluding a frame section for keeping the shape of the isolating memberand a mesh-like stop section connected with the frame section, themesh-like stop section serving to stop the beverage material, whilepermitting the beverage to flow through.
 2. The cup as claimed in claim1, wherein two opposite sides of inner circumference of the cup arerespectively formed with two longitudinal rails for locating theisolating member.
 3. The cup as claimed in claim 2, wherein eachlongitudinal rail of the cup is composed of two parallel ribs, the ribsbeing integrally connected with the inner circumference of the cup, thetwo ribs defining there between a gap , the frame section of theisolating member has two longitudinal sections which are respectivelyinserted and located in one gap, an engaging section being formed on theinner circumference of the cup and spaced from top end of the cup by acertain distance, the engaging section being composed of a shouldersection and a stop block inward extending from the inner circumferenceof the cup, the frame section of the isolating member having atransverse section located between the shoulder section and stop blockof the engaging section of the cup.
 4. The cup as claimed in claim 2,wherein when the frame section of the isolating member is molten andmolded, the frame section is connected with the periphery of themesh-like stop section.
 5. The cup as claimed in claim 3, whereinbetween the longitudinal section and transverse section of the framesection is formed with a bending line, whereby the frame section can beeasily bent about the bending line.
 6. The cup as claimed in claim 1,wherein the inner circumference of the cup is formed with a projectingblock near bottom face of the cup, the isolating member including aframe section and a mesh-like stop section, the frame section having anannular bottom end formed with a lug, the lug being fixedly engaged withthe projecting block.
 7. The cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein theisolating member substantially having a shape of a plane board, theisolating member including an annular frame section and a mesh-like stopsection located in the frame section, the inner circumference of the cupbeing formed with two projecting sections longitudinally opposite toeach other, the two projecting sections defining there between a groove,the frame section of the isolating member being fixedly engaged andlocated in the groove.